


The Cure

by phenomanon



Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: Angst, Apocalypse, Humor, Idiots in Love, M/M, T-Virus, Virus, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:40:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23357140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phenomanon/pseuds/phenomanon
Summary: An unprecedented pandemic is wreaking havoc on society. Will Nick and Greg be able to stop it?
Relationships: Greg Sanders & Nick Stokes, Greg Sanders/Nick Stokes
Comments: 6
Kudos: 4





	The Cure

**Disclaimer: I am not a scientist nor in the medical field, this is purely science fiction. The research is mostly real, but has been embellished and modified quite a bit for the sake of the story. I wrote this as catharsis, sort of a way to process things, and because I need to believe there is hope.**

———

_"Researchers at the Oxford epidemiology unit believe this new strain could potentially—"_

"Greg, I'm home!"

Nick was in the middle of taking off his shoes when Greg affectionately tackled him with a kiss.

"You're late. Again. What took so long?"

"Decided to be a good boyfriend and picked up a lil somethin'." 

In Nick's hands dangled plastic gold; coveted takeout from Greg's favorite restaurant. Other than Nick himself, this was Greg's Greek delicacy of choice.

"Guess I'll be a good boyfriend too and provide dessert." Greg replied with a playful smirk.

"With a cherry on top?"

"A cherry, and nothing else."

Even after spending nearly every day and night together for the past two years, Greg still found ways to make the older man blush.

"You know just what to say."

" _Sweet talker_. Hey, I saw something really interesting on TV earlier. You heard about this new novel virus?"

"Novel virus? That a sci-fi book?"

"You wish. Nah, I studied biochem at Stanford while I was getting my PhD and the way this new strain embeds genetic material is something I've never seen before."

"I wouldn't worry about it. There's new viruses everywhere, all the time."

"I know, just thought it was interesting."

"Well, I hope you're up for some Greek lamb chops. Your favorite."

The rumbling in Greg's stomach made him drop the subject as he ran to the kitchen for plates and silverware.

" _You're_ my favorite, you know."

———

_[ One hour ago ]_

If Nick was going to be late, there would be no way he could come empty handed also.

He waltzed into Greg's favorite Greek spot, the guilt heavy on his soul for showing up a few hours later than he had promised. The restaurant seemed busier than usual, as was expected on a Friday night in Vegas. Waiters and waitresses dashed around the small venue like ants on a hill in an attempt to get the food out as fast as they could.

Though everything in Las Vegas ran on night-owl time, this was one of the few places that were open twenty four hours. Considering their inconsistent graveyard shifts at the lab, Nick and Greg grew accustomed to the little mom and pop's shop around the corner from Greg's apartment. It had become their special routine, especially when Nick had broken another promise.

They recently held a serious discussion about Nick getting too wrapped up in his cases, and he had just reassured Greg _for the last time_ that he wasn't going to be late anymore. That was yesterday. He anxiously glanced down at his watch which displayed a daunting 9:38AM.

"Hi, what's your order?"

"Hello. The lamb chops and souvlaki to go please?"

"Okay. That'll be $36.75."

Nick reached into his wallet and grabbed a fresh $50 dollar bill, handing it to the young cashier in front of him. She had a round face with a cute smile to boot, and was probably no older than twenty years old. Most likely she was a student at UNLV trying to make a few bucks on the side. She transferred the bill into the register and handed Nick his change, only to have Nick shake his head and grin.

"That's all for you."

A huge smile replaced the non-expression on her face as she chucked the change into a vase repurposed as a tip jar. As she pointed to the end of the line for Nick to collect his food, she politely coughed into her elbow.

"You all right?"

"Yeah, allergies."

"Try eating some local honey, that might help. The real stuff, not the kind that comes in those cute bear bottles."

His last comment made the girl blush as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Thanks, I'll try that. Hope to see you around."

Nick nodded and took out his phone which wouldn't stop vibrating.

_3 Missed calls_

He would have to hurry if he wanted to salvage his relationship.

———

" _There are now 16 confirmed cases worldwide, spanning from the UK to Italy to Hong Kong. Scientists are scrambling to study the pathogenesis but have not yet released any additional information other than it being a respiratory infection—_ "

"Am I paying you all to watch TV?"

Grissom furrowed his eyebrows and in an instant, the entire lab rose from their chairs.

"Sorry boss." Nick sheepishly answered for the room, slipping Warrick a mischievous school boy look.

"Warrick, you're with me. Nick, you and Sara are on a B&E in Henderson."

Sara and Nick smirked at each other as they grabbed the assignment from Grissom.

"So what do you think about all this, Sara?"

"About what?"

Sara did an initial scan of the paper and scratched her head nonchalantly.

"You know, this virus."

"Well, so far there's only 16 cases worldwide. I wouldn't be too worried."

"Yeah but what if...Greg said something a week ago about it embedding data into our DNA."

"Retroviruses are rare and they haven't labeled it that. They said it's a respiratory infection, like the flu, which kills more people every year than most viruses."

"True. You're probably right."

"Don't be such a worry wart, Nick. We'll be fine. Just wash your hands."

"Yeah."

"Come on. I'll drive us, cowboy."

Nick laughed at Sara's tenacious nature and put the thought into the back of his mind yet again.

———

_[ At an undisclosed lab in Washington D.C. ]_

"Sir, you have to see this."

A man in a hazmat suit ripped himself away from the microscope he was studying to look at another sample.

"It's _mutating_."

"I've only seen behavior like this in HIV. The replication rate is remarkably high, higher than H5N1. It killed the cellular host in record timing."

"Have you shared this with anyone?"

"Not yet, only we know. Do we need to make some calls?"

"Let's make sure what we have is absolutely concrete and organize it into layman's terms. Then...we should contact the CDC and WHO immediately."

———

_"As confirmed cases of the novel virus dubbed 'DISV-1' continue to climb, government officials are considering issuing a mandatory quarantine for fourteen days to contain the spread. The CDC urges citizens to wash their hands and refrain from touching their face, though they have not yet declared a state of emergency. DISV-1 gets its name from the Latin prefix 'dis-' and suffix 'vergere', or 'divergent,' because the virus diverges at a rapid rate in RNA sequencing. The '1' entails that it is the first of its kind. If you think you may have been exposed to the virus or are exhibiting symptoms, medical experts urge you to get tested. Some of the symptoms include high fever, coughing, dizziness, and trouble breathing. Contact..."_

The apple Nick had picked up over ten minutes ago remained untouched in his hands; anxiety clouding his mind.

"Hey. You okay?"

Greg swiped the apple from Nick's grasp and took a big bite, snapping Nick back to reality.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Seriously? You think I don't know when you're lying?"

Nick put down the piece of fruit and reached across the table for Greg's hand.

"Okay, I'm a little worried truthfully."

"I thought you said that this would be nothing to worry about."

Greg lifted Nick's hand to his mouth and placed a soft, assuring kiss on his palm. In moments Nick was calm again, even if the unsettling feeling in his stomach never went away. He felt safe in Greg's presence, which was the only thing keeping him from falling into complete hysteria.

"I don't know what to think any more."

"Relax. I've been studying the virus in my down time—"

"Since when do you have down time?"

"I don't. But because it concerns you so much, I decided to take a stab at it."

"And?"

"Nothing conclusive. I've read all the peer reviewed medical journals about the virus and...it's confusing to say the least. The virus is aggressive but it seems like it can still be killed with plain old soap and water. I think they're doing a fourteen day quarantine because that's the incubation period. By the fourteenth day, someone would exhibit symptoms, only..."

"Only what?"

"The virus can also be asymptomatic."

"No symptoms?"

"Yeah. Asymptomatic carriers are exacerbating the spread."

"Greg, do we need to get tested?"

"I don't know, baby."

This was the first time in Nick's experience hearing Greg claim not to know something. It admittedly scared him.

———

_"Mr. President, Mr. President! Is DISV-1 cause for concern?"_

_"How many cases are confirmed worldwide? Can you divulge those numbers?"_

_"Are you really going to issue a country lockdown? What about state's rights?"_

_"Is bureaucracy halting production for a potential vaccine?"_

_"Now now, at this point we are confident that there is no reason to worry. The consideration of a fourteen day quarantine is hypothetical and only for precautionary measures. People should go about their day, business as usual. Go to work, grab a cup of coffee with a friend—we'll all be fine. There are zero confirmed cases here in the United States. That is all. No more questions."_

The president looked towards his right as he spoke, a psychological tick many CSI's including Nick believed to be associated with lying.

Nick turned off his in-dash screen and made a split decision detour to the grocery store. He was usually a reasonable man—but even he wasn't immune to hypochondria. 

When he arrived, Nick noticed that there were quite a few cars in the parking lot, though not an absurd amount. He made a mental game plan to go in and out for the essentials as quickly as he could, just in case he would have to stay at home for awhile. Knowing that he was responsible for Greg, even if Greg had never agreed to that sentiment, was enough to fuel Nick to make preparations.

Near the entrance, Nick saw a family of four go in before him, the little boy mindlessly sneezing into the air. 

———

_"As Australia confirms its 500th case of DISV-1 today, the sight of barren shelves are quickly becoming the norm. Products such as hand sanitizer and toilet paper have gone out of stock in local grocery stores all over the country. The Prime Minister urges citizens to stop hoarding products as it is not necessary. Currently the best way to combat the virus is to wash your hands thoroughly and stay indoors as often as possible. Scientists have not confirmed if the virus is airborne."_

"Can you believe that? People are nuts." Sara quipped, peeling an orange in the break room.

"Uh, right." Nick responded almost mechanically, his eyes lacking focus.

"You know I couldn't find hand sanitizer at the grocery store yesterday? I had to go to a hardware store thirty minutes away."

"Has your opinion changed, Sara?"

Her hands stopped moving.

"I still think people are going overboard. But I also don't go to spas for this very reason. People don't wash their hands."

"I need you two. Now. Results are ready."

Grissom entered the room and pointed towards Greg's lab, interrupting Nick and Sara's discussion indefinitely.

"Sure thing, Grissom. Let's see who that DNA belongs to."

———

_"The president announced a compulsory curfew for the entire country at 8PM, as well as social distancing up to six feet. Although states were initially allowed to make their own decisions on these safety protocols, it has now become a federal order. Anyone seen violating these laws will receive a citation and in worst case scenarios, arrest. Essential businesses are allowed to stay open with a valid permit, in which business owners and employees must show law enforcement officials on their routine check ups. There is still a global shortage on DISV-1 tests, but scientists in South Korea have begun to manufacture their own after the 1,000th confirmed case in the country was reported today. Other countries are looking to South Korea's research for answers. The total count for confirmed cases in the U.S. is now 129."_

Greg popped into Nick's workspace with a packaged muffin and turned off the radio, making the older man finally break a smile. 

"Figured you haven't eaten anything today."

"I did." Nick lied. "But thanks. Did you eat?"

"Instant noodles a la Sanders. You know you can only pick up food via drive through now?"

Nick gently grabbed the muffin from Greg and nodded. 

"Heard it on the news."

"We can pick up some Greek food tonight if you're down. Kick back, watch some movies."

"Sure, but I think we'd better eat at home, G."

"There's nothing about the virus being able to live on food. Supposedly it can live on surfaces for up to three days though."

Nick stopped eating the muffin and looked at Greg with a horrified expression on his face.

"As long as you wash your hands and clean surfaces frequently, you'll be fine. You think I'd let you get sick? Nick, I'm a chemist. I can create powerful disinfectants in my lab."

"What would I do without you?"

"I dunno, probably be really bored."

_———_

_"The CDC has declared DISV-1 a pandemic, meaning that it is a global outbreak with a high infection rate. Researchers say the last recorded pandemic of this magnitude was the 1918 Spanish Flu, which infected over 500 million people—a quarter of the population at the time. Millions lost their lives and many scientists fear that the same thing, or worse, might occur with DISV-1. Governments around the world are desperately on the hunt for 'Patient Zero.'"_

———

_"Hospitals are overwhelmed with patients carrying DISV-1, and the United States has asked its international allies for medical equipment donations and staff. Doctors and nurses contracting the disease from sick patients are growing, and many have gone on strike to show their frustration with the state of the healthcare system. Medical experts around the world have now raised the R0 or 'R naught,' the transmission rate of a virus, from one to six. This means that a carrier could infect up to six people. The government is now issuing a federal quarantine order for a month."_

Nick had been feeling groggy for the past few days, the lack of sleep from overworking making him delirious.

Since the pandemic, the lab had been dangerously understaffed, with many people either calling off work sick or preempting a leave of absence for safety. He was one of the few people left to physically interview witnesses and process data, which was a tougher job than he had first thought.

Greg was usually a master of keeping his lab pristine until a mandatory city order enforced even stricter cleaning policies to ensure that an outbreak didn't run rampant at CSI. Like clockwork, Greg had to leave so a clean up crew could come in and disinfect his entire lab, breaking his concentration every time. The state had also reached out to Greg to help process DISV-1 tests in an undisclosed location since the backlog was immense, but Grissom fought Ecklie hard on sending his best DNA tech when they needed him the most. 

For crime hadn't stopped or slowed down since the pandemic. In fact, major crimes had risen a whopping 12%.

Nick silently thanked his stars that Greg wasn't sent away to handle DISV-1 tests because that could put him at significant risk of catching the virus. However Greg wasn't scared. He had expressed several times that he would be more than willing to go as long as he could help in some way, which was classic naïve Greg.

Their days were so busy as of late that the only thing they had time for when they got home was sleep. Rinse and repeat for two weeks straight.

Greg zoomed through the lab halls with a hopeful smile on his face, winking at Nick because he didn't have enough time to stop and chat.

———

_"The death toll surrounding DISV-1 has totaled 4,554 in the United States and the virus shows no signs of slowing down. Thirty senators across the country have tested positive. Medical experts around the world predict the numbers will double in the coming weeks. Citizens are urged to stay inside or face strict military reinforcement. An FDA-approved vaccine has not yet been identified, although scientists in Germany have begun clinical trials on their version of a vaccine. But scientists warn that it could take over a year to develop and mass produce a vaccine to the general public. The president was not available for comment but will issue a statement in the coming days."_

"Fuck."

Nick rolled over on his side, groaning in pain.

"What's wrong Nick? You okay?"

Greg flicked on the bedside lamp to see Nick drenched in what looked like his own sweat and tears.

"I don't know...I think..." He began to cough and shiver at the same time, enacting Greg to hold him tighter.

"Nick—"

"No, don't. Please. You have to leave and get tested Greg."

Nick forcefully wiggled out of Greg's grasp.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'm okay Nick, don't worry about me. Do you need to go to the doctor?"

"We'll never get in. Just...leave."

"I'm not leaving you."

"You might have it too, because of me! Greg, don't be stupid—"

"I _said_ I'm not leaving you. We're going to figure this out. Together. I...I'm gonna make some calls."

"To who? There's no cure, no vaccine."

"You don't even know that you have it."

"What does this look like to you?"

Greg darted out of the room and Nick feared the worst, until he heard running water coming from the bathroom. Greg returned with a wet rag and placed it on Nick's forehead, probing his mouth with a thermometer. 

"102.2. Take these meds and it should reduce the fever. I'll be right back, I'm going to make some calls, okay? Don't worry Nick, I—"

Greg's facade finally faded as his voice cracked noticeably. Nick could barely hear it, but Greg was definitely crying.

———

_"With many people out of work unable to feed their families, violent burglaries are on the rise. People have resorted to looting many big retailers across the country, and the government has started using military force to combat the riots. Additionally, a truck carrying emergency medical supplies derailed this morning and caught on fire in Pennsylvania. The number of those infected has now reached 10 million globally, with hospitals unable keep up._ _The UN will be meeting tomorrow to discuss an emergency plan. Until then, there have been strict quarantines placed in every country with violators facing dire consequences. Corporations have already begun to patent possible vaccines, while an official FDA-approved vaccine has still not been produced."_

After an initial three days of excruciating pain, Nick's most intense symptoms subsided. He still had body chills and a cough, but the near fatal fever seemed to have gone away. Greg had called off work to take care of Nick for the foreseeable future.

Greg also sent a vial of his and Nick's blood to a special lab at Stanford, through Greg's connections as an alumni.

In a few minutes, he was expecting a video conferencing call from one of the top professors at the university. Greg was nervous. He had no idea what to expect, or if Nick really had DISV-1. Greg was also worried that because he wasn't exhibiting symptoms, that he could be an asymptomatic carrier.

How many people had Greg come in contact with that he could have possibly infected? It could be in the hundreds by now.

"If I make it out of this, I swear I'm going to take you to the nicest restaurant in Vegas. On a real date. I'm gonna shout it from the top of Mt. Charleston how much I love you."

" _When_ you make it out of this, we're going to celebrate with lamb and souvlaki."

Tears began to stream down Nick's cheeks as he recollected all the disappointments he had brought upon Greg. Even something as simple as a Friday night dinner at Taziki's sounded like a far off fantasy.

"I'm gonna tell my parents about us as soon as my throat stops burning. I'm so sorry Greg, for everything."

Greg should have been happy to hear that, but the tone of Nick's voice made it hard to find joy. Everything sounded too much like a final farewell, and Greg had to divert his eyes to the ceiling to avoid getting emotional before his call.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, except for the country music requests these past couple of days. Definitely owe me for that."

Just then, Greg's phone began to vibrate.

"I owe you way more than that."

"Hold that thought, Nick. I have to take this call. It's gonna be okay, I promise. I love you."

"Love you."

****

"So this is unprecedented, but I have some interesting news, Greg."

"Thank you for meeting me on such short notice, Dr. Livingston. What did you find?"

"Are you sitting comfortably for this?"

"Yes sir."

"First, Nick did indeed test positive for DISV-1." 

Greg's heart sank to the bottom of his stomach.

"I see."

"But from your observations and his blood sample, it does seem that he is recovering. However we don't know the full recovery process for this virus yet, so it's best to keep an eye on his symptoms, as they could develop again. Also, I hope you don't mind but I triple checked my findings with other colleagues from Harvard and Princeton...and it seems that you might have an immunity to the virus."

"What? Is that possible?"

"We believe it is possible, but we cannot confirm it. They've begun injecting plasma from DISV-1 survivors into sick patients in clinical trials; New York. Nothing conclusive, but the assumption there is that the antibodies will assist in defeating the virus in infected patients. Though it is purely experimental as of now, it is something to pay attention to."

"I...I don't know what to say."

"That brings me to my next point of discussion. I can't facilitate it myself, but I can probably find someone who can—perhaps you might try donating some of your plasma to Nick."

Greg swallowed a dry lump in his throat, barely understanding the complexity of the professor's suggestion.

"Is that safe?"

"With your permission, I'd like to send a sample of your blood to a lab in Switzerland. They are currently running tests on people with potential immunity or antibodies to the virus. You might be one of the first to be tested if you are willing. If so, they might be able to help facilitate a plasma transfer."

"You mean we'd have to go to Switzerland?"

"No. It would be done in the U.S., but we need the assistance of their research to convince an entity to conduct it here."

"I'll do whatever it takes, Dr. Livingston. If it'll save Nick."

"All right, I'll call a meeting with them today. I can't promise anything, but it's worth a try. If you really do have antibodies, it would be imperative that we study your bloodwork immediately. Keep this between us, but I was contacted by the epidemiology department at Oxford who originally identified key markers in DISV-1, and they are also interested to study your blood."

"I read their papers. They knew it would get this bad."

"Where there is disease, there is opportunity. But they have made some substantial discoveries that are not yet public, and I think with bloodwork from DISV-1 immune participants, there could be a breakthrough. It may take weeks, months, or even years, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility. Many people around the world have successfully recovered, we just need to figure out what makes them unique."

"I'll do whatever it takes. Thank you for looking into all of this."

"It's not just for you, Greg. This is for humanity."

**Author's Note:**

> I may or may not add another chapter depending on if people are interested in a second part. Otherwise, I'm kind of okay with ending it where I did.


End file.
